wrote this in the book i had about the last time we went through this a year and a half ago, that mitch mcconnell is one of the craftiest negotiators on capitol hill. last year, when we had this fight of the payroll tax cut, he leaned on boehner and boehner basically bucked his own caucus and they got a deal done with the clock ticking. >> not much time left on that clock. i've got to move, guys. i apologize. thank you, david corn. thank you, jared. we appreciate your time. >> the nra speaks one week after the connecticut school massacre. that's ahead. this is "hardball," the place for politics. >>> well, to the victor go the spoils. gallup's three-day tracking poll give the president a 56% approval rating. gallup's polling mirrors other recent polls all showing president obama ticking up. we'll be right back. >>> it's been a week since the massacre in newtown. today the national rifle association waded into the debate over gun control with a strange press conference. the group's ceo wayne lapierre blames laws banning guns at school for the violence. his position, nor guns. the nra called for put